Puerto Vallarta family vacations give kids of all ages the opportunity to learn about the American crocodile. Nayarit's El Quelele Lagoon is a wildlife preserve where a special facility was created to protect the American Crocodile and its habitat. Families can take a canal tour through the lagoon’s mangroves and get close to the birds, crocodiles, and other native species.Kids and adults alike will also enjoy a visit to the University of Guadalajara’s well-run reptilarium. Located at the university's Ixtapa campus, about 15 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport, the Crocodile and Reptile Research Center gives visitors the opportunity to hold crocodile hatchlings as well as learn more about the American crocodile species from expert biologists.